


Audition

by Fabrisse



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-13
Updated: 2010-11-13
Packaged: 2017-10-13 04:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/133091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fabrisse/pseuds/Fabrisse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The prompt "Blaine's thoughts the first time he hears Kurt sing. ('Cause there has to be an audition for the Warblers, right?)" given by Lj user Haidekat at the community kurt_blaine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Audition

At McKinley, the only academic requirement to participate in extracurriculars was a passing grade. A student could have a D average and still do anything the school offered.

Dalton Academy required a 3.0 average with no grade lower than a 2.7, and the classes were harder. Kurt worked more diligently than he ever had for his first six weeks at his new school just to get the opportunity to audition for the Warblers. The report card was a relief. He had one 2.8, but his overall average was a 3.27.

When he showed the report to Blaine, the older boy's face had split into a grin. "We are taking this to Mister Peters right now."

Peters looked at Kurt, looked at the academic report, and said, "I heard New Directions at Regionals last year. I'm certain you can carry a tune, so let's skip ahead to the call back audition. I expect you to come to the Warblers rehearsal on Monday with two songs to show off your range. I recommend one be upbeat and one a ballad, but honestly, this is more to see whether you can adapt and whether you have sufficient stage presence." He nodded a dismissal.

Blaine tugged Kurt's hand and they left the room.

"Stage presence?"

Blaine rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah. Some people have good voices, but get nervous when they perform. Callbacks are done in front of the group. Peters does all our arrangements -- that's not quite true, we can bring him roughs -- but he's the one who makes certain the dynamics are right."

"So all I have to do is stand in front of the coolest guys in the school and sing two songs?" Kurt gave a scoffing laugh. "That's too easy."

"Easy? I was rejected my first year. Most of us were."

Kurt patted his arm. "At McKinley, we'd get up and sing a solo at least once a week. Some of us more often than others, but we all did it at some point. Now I just need to find something to show off the bottom of my range. I did the opening riff on 'Give up the Funk,' but it's not exactly a show piece."

"Well, Mister Peters may have made it seem like having differing pieces wasn't important, but he really does like to see variety. Two ballads won't cut it," Blaine said.

"You know my tastes too well," Kurt said and blushed a little as he said it.

Blaine teased, "Whatever you pick, I'm sure you'll do fine, New Kid."

***

Kurt had gone home nearly immediately afterward. He knew better than to keep hoping that Blaine would ask him out, but somehow the fluttering in his chest when Blaine looked his way just wouldn't fade away.

He'd thought the song selection would be simple, and, the ballad was: "Defying Gravity" was going to bring down the house when he hit that high note. The bottom of his range was more difficult. It needed to be a faster paced song, and his music collection really did run more to pop divas and torch songs.

His Dad had played him some Randy Travis, and Carole suggested Boz Scaggs. Neither was exactly Kurt's taste, but he could maybe do something with "Lido Shuffle."

He'd looked through his mother's old sheet music, too. She'd liked old pop songs and kept the books she'd learned to play piano from. Neither he nor Burt had considered throwing them away. Most of them were impossible; either they were pure instrumentals or they were too ballady or something else was wrong with them. Finally, on Sunday afternoon, he found the perfect song. It wasn't something he'd ever have considered if Mister Peters hadn't put the contrast constraint on him, but he thought it would fit the bill pretty well.

Kurt scanned the sheet music into the computer and played around with the Musitek program his father had gotten him for his thirteenth birthday. The version he printed out to take with him was down a fourth from the original. He grinned as it went into his book bag.

***  
Blaine tried to tease out the names of the songs from him at lunch, but Kurt just changed the subject and smiled to himself. He'd reserved a practice room during his afternoon study hall so he could be certain to hit the high F -- no throwing away a chance this time.

At four o'clock, the group met in their rehearsal room.

Mister Peters motioned the young men to chairs and said, "We're having a callback audition this afternoon before practice. Please welcome our newest student, Kurt Hummel."

Kurt swallowed and walked to the front of the room. He handed the accompanist his first song, made eye contact and nodded to begin. A boppy bass riff started and Kurt sang the first line, "There's a man who leads a life of danger" in a clear upper baritone.

Blaine blinked. Kurt's speaking voice was so high, he'd just assumed that the younger boy's range would be higher and lighter. He'd really thought Kurt was kidding when he'd talked about doing "Give up the Funk." Instead, he's hearing some rich tones and some definite flirting on "Secret Agent Man." He couldn't help grinning at Kurt's self assurance and style.

The applause from the group was heartfelt, and Blaine even gave a whistle which he was pleased to see made Kurt flush with pleasure.

Kurt gave a nod of acknowledgment to the audience and handed the accompanist his second piece.

The accompanist motioned him over and whispered, "I can transpose it by sight, but I need to know what key."

Kurt smiled and said, "No need. That's the key I sing it in."

He went back to his place smiled at his audience and gave the nod. "'Something has changed within me…'"

This time Blaine's jaw dropped. This was the range he'd expected, but the purity of tone blindsided him. Kurt's joy in the song was palpable, and Blaine found himself responding to it physically. He wondered if Kurt would look that transcendent when he climaxed and pushed the thought aside quickly. The rehearsal room was not the place for it. When the final notes came Blaine was afraid that he might too.

The room was hushed for a moment, and Kurt began to look nervous when the group jumped to its feet and cheered for him.

Blaine just sat there clapping frantically.

Mister Peters went to the front and put his hand on Kurt's shoulder. "Mister Hummel, welcome to The Warblers. From the reaction, I believe we'd like an encore, if you have one prepared."

Kurt thought for a moment and then went to the accompanist. They held a whispered conversation and Kurt stood front and center and began to sing The Beatles' "If I Fell."

Blaine swallowed hard when Kurt's eyes locked with his and the love song was sung directly to him. Whatever resolution he'd had to keep their relationship platonic flew out the window for good. He didn't even notice when several of the others began to harmonize with Kurt.

All he saw were large blue eyes. All he heard was that clear tone. All he wanted to do was kiss Kurt.


End file.
